‘Sunderland make Alan Browne exit decision amid shock Granit Xhaka news’
Alan Browne’s Sunderland future looks increasingly bleak as Regis Le Bris continues to bolster his midfield ranks at the Stadium of Light.
Soon after the Black Cats defeated Sheffield United in the Championship playoff final, their midfield was significantly weakened when Jobe Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund.
But Mackems boss Regis Le Bris has subsequently utilised the summer transfer market to strengthen his squad ahead of the North East side’s Premier League return.
Amid their efforts to survive in the top flight, Sunderland have already signed Noah Sadiki and fellow central midfielder Habib Diarra.
Sunderland set to sanction Browne exit amid Xhaka interest
Largely thanks to injury problems, Browne made just 13 starts as Sunderland won promotion from the Championship last term.
But after returning to fitness, the former Preston North End man remained behind the likes of Dan Neil and Bellingham in Le Bris’ pecking order, and did not feature in the playoff final.
Browne’s chances of having a future at the Stadium of Light have taken a serious dent, with Sunderland keen on signing Granit Xhaka.
If the Mackems land their ambitious move for the former Arsenal star, they will likely facilitate the sale of Browne, who seemingly has no chance of enjoying Premier League game time over Xhaka, Sadiki, Diarra, or Neil.
Xhaka would excel for Le Bris
The Switzerland international previously showed his quality in the Premier League when he played for Arsenal from 2016-2023, winning two FA Cup titles along the way.
| Granit Xhaka stats | All competitions 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 49 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 7 |
According to talkSPORT [16 July], Le Bris’ men face competition from Saudi Pro League side Neom SC to sign the Switzerland international.
But if Sunderland can convince the 32-year-old to make a Premier League return, as opposed to moving to the Middle East, they will have a major asset on their hands.
Xhaka played an integral role for his current club, Bayer Leverkusen, when they won the Bundesliga title and the German Cup by enjoying an unbeaten domestic campaign in 2023/24.
Leverkusen also reached the Europa League final, where they were beaten by Italian outfit Atalanta, that season, with the former Gunners man making 11 appearances in the European competition.
Xhaka boasts a far stronger CV than most players acquired by newly promoted clubs, and his potential arrival could go a long way to helping Sunderland stay in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, the Black Cats have been tipped to beat Marseille to the signing of Nantes striker Matthis Abline in a Mackem News exclusive.